Sept. 10, 2025 TEXT: Psalm 127
There are many reasons why people have children, but only a few are biblical.
-Unbiblical reasons to have children
+Slave labor for parents
+Welfare benefits for adults
+Filling an emotional emptiness in a woman
-Biblical reasons to have children
+To honor God in rearing children in His truth for the next generation
+To continue the godly heritage of a family into the future
+To train up potential servants of the Lord who will be used of God to impact to world in the future to God’s glory
There are many reasons why people discipline children, but only a few are biblical.
-Unbiblical reasons for disciplining children
+Some discipline out of anger.
+Some discipline out of irritation
+Some discipline out of retribution
+Some discipline out of pride due to being embarrassed or inconvenienced
-Biblical reasons for disciplining children
+Stewarding them in obedience to God who blessed you with them
+Obedience to God because He told parents to do so when it is warranted
+Loving them enough to want them to honor God in their life
+Teaching them that direct disobedience is sin against God
+Preparing them to live fulfilling and productive lives as adults to God’s glory
-We need God’s help in building our lives, our families, and our children
+Except the Lord helps us build we do it in vain
+Except the Lord helps us keep we try to do it in vain
+Except the Lord helps us in our efforts of hard work for our families it is in vain
I. They are God’s blessing to us to care for (v. 3)
A. They are given to you from God as a legacy to build from your life
1. They are an heritage of the Lord because He blesses us with them
2. They are an heritage of the Lord because we are to train them to know Him
3. They are an heritage of the Lord because we are to prepare them for God’s glory in serving Him in their life personally
B. They are given to you from God as a gift for you to cherish and protect (Gen. 4:1-2, 25)
1. Our children are from God because He designed how we have them
2. Our children are from God because He is sovereign over His creation
3. Our children are from God because we will answer to Him for our care of them
C. They are given to us from God to follow His example as He cares for His children (I Thessalonians 2:6-12)
1. We need to be a help to our children not a burden to them (v. 6)
2. We need to be gentle with our children making clear their value to us (v. 7)
3. We need to be imparting truth to them from God and His Word (v. 8)
4. We need to be working to raise them up to the glory of God (v. 9)
5. We need to be behaving ourselves honorably before them (v. 10)
6. We need to be encouraging and comforting to them (v. 11)
7. We need to be helping our children walk with God as part of His family (v. 12)
II. They are in need of training in life (v. 4)
A. We need to be trained in our training of them as parents (Proverbs 1:8-19)
1. God’s Word can train us with God’s wisdom in His plan for parenting
2. Parenting books based on God’s Word from godly, wise authors can help us
3. Things God has taught us in our own walk with Him in life can help our children
B. We need to prepare ourselves to best prepare them for launching in life (Proverbs 4; Deuteronomy 6:4-7)
C. We need to train them in God’s truth to help them be blessed in life
1. Embed it into their mind and soul so it is in the conscience (Proverbs 22:6)
2. Warn them about the importance choosing good friends to be good influences (Proverbs 28:7)
3. Warn them about the importance of good moral choices in life (Proverbs 29:3)
4. Warn them about the importance of obeying God’s commands (Proverbs 30:17)
III. They are in need of seeing their sinfulness (v. 5)
A. So we as parents can rejoice in them as they walk with God
1. We are happiest when our children know the Jesus as their Saviour
2. We are happiest when our children honor God in their life as Lord
3. We are happiest when our children are enjoying the blessings of God in their lives by living with Him and for Him
B. So they as individuals won’t suffer the shame of wickedness
1. They will live less shameless if they live according God’s Word
2. They will suffer less shame if they bring God glory in their life
3. They will have less shame in their accountability before Christ in eternity if they know Him and do His will for their lives (Proverbs. 3:11-12; 13:24; 19:18; 20:30; 22:15; 29:15, 17)
C. So our children can live fruitful adult lives to God’s glory
1. Speaking with the enemies is referring to being leaders in the community
2. Speaking with the enemies is referring to being part of solutions not problems
3. Speaking with the enemies is referring to being a help to others not a harm